This invention relates to a garment bag.
A garment bag as described herein is a clothing carrier consisting of two elongated fabric walls which are hinged together along one edge of the walls. In the preferred embodiment, the hinge is along a longitudinal or elongated edge. A slide fastener is provided around the free edges to close the bag around the clothes packed within it. Within the bag, provision is made for mounting clothes hangers to a top edge for hanging dresses, skirts and suits. Pockets are provided around the bag walls for packing other articles of clothing, including shoes. It is not uncommon to pack the bag with 30-35 pounds of clothes.
When packed and closed, the closed bag is folded upon itself to provide a convenient suitcase-size article for carrying. A shoulder strap transversely spans the fold line and a hand grip handle is mounted on the fold line to permit carrying either by hand or by shoulder. In a conventional, fully loaded garment bag, the shoulder strap tends to dig into the shoulder and introduces an element of discomfort, particularly when the bag must be carried over a relatively long distance.
The garment bag has at least one external hanger attached to the top edge of one of the bag walls. The hanger is used to support the bag, on a door for example, during packing. The hanger is used to support the fully packed bag in an unfolded attitude. In the unfolded attitude, the clothes have the opportunity to hang relatively loosely to minimize wrinkling.
Finally, the hanger functions to hold the adjoining top and bottom free ends of the garment bag together when the bag is folded upon itself. To this end, the lower end of the bag has a fabric loop. The hanger extends across the adjoining ends of the folded bag and passes through the loop where it is frictionally held. In application Ser. No. 07/320,525, filed Mar. 8, 1989, structure is described for shortening or lengthening the hanger to permit a slight tension on the hanger as it spans the adjoining ends of the bag when the bag is lightly packed or when the bag is fully packed. In either case, the hanger, frictionally held in the loop, has a tendency to slip out of the loop during the jostling encountered in carrying the bag. It will then drag along the floor or ground, subjecting it to scratching and indeed being a nuisance to the person carrying the bag.
In a garment bag as well as in other types of clothes-carrying cases, it is customary to provide a waterproof bag to keep a wet swimsuit, wet clothing and the like isolated from the remaining clothes. The waterproof bag is somewhat of a nuisance, as it is in the way during packing and it can easily be forgotten by being temporarily removed from the bag during packing.